For the better part of a decade, the University of Northern Colorado has been consistently at the top of the Big Sky in offensive production. A lesser-appreciated but equally important part of the team, however, has been the goal keepers.
Morgan Bury and Ashley Franza were the two primary starters the previous two seasons due to their experience. Bury spent two years with the Bears, while Franza was in Greeley all four years of her collegiate career.
Between the two, UNC recorded more than 122 saves in the last two seasons. In 2019, when UNC won the Big Sky Tournament Championship, Franza logged 64 saves. Last year, the team won the regular season title outright.
There have been other impressive goalkeepers, including Taylor Washington, Madeleine Burdick and Kaitlin Ruff. Ruff was the primary starter in 2014, logging 120 saves. Then, Burdick was the starter for 2016 and 2017, when she logged a combined 213 saves.
Basically, the UNC goalkeeping staff has a history of excellence. Now, a new GK has stepped into the box.
Junior Kaya Lindberg has gotten the start in the team’s three regular season games. She’s already picked up 19 saves, including a season high of 11 last week, and gave up just one goal. Lindberg helped the Bears stay perfectly at home, not allowing Wyoming or North Dakota.
“It’s amazing to see Kaya in the goal. She’s so exciting to watch,” said junior forward Melina Faris. “I just love watching her. She’s doing great. She’s confident back there. She’s loud, and I’m so proud of her. She’s doing a great job so far. We’re lucky to have her.”
After the team’s 2-0 shutout against Wyoming and 1-1 draw at Kansas State, Lindberg earned the first Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Week award. Depending on how the squad does Sunday, she is likely a nominee for the distinction once again.
“We feel really confident with her out there as a leader of our goalkeepers and the defenders, as well. She’s been fantastic,” UNC coach Tim Barrera said this week. “Her distribution’s great. Her mobility back there is fantastic. Even though this is only her third start of her career, she’s really played well. As coaches, we’re 100% comfortable with her back there.”
Lindberg also spent her first two seasons at UNC, but she was behind Bury and Franza. This time, it’s pretty much all her.
Having to wait for the starting spot wasn’t a problem, either. The NCAA Transfer Portal and newer rules have made leaving a program easier than it once was. One of the reasons players – regardless of their sport – may opt to transfer is to find a place to play immediately.
Lindberg said she didn’t think about leaving. She enjoyed learning from her older counterparts. Bury taught Lindberg “controlled aggression” for one-on-one matchups, and Franza helped her refine on-field communication. Plus, they were just really welcoming. That goes a long way.
“I don’t mind waiting. Waiting is really just the time to learn and to get used to the speed of play,” Lindberg said. “I think if I were to play as a freshman, I would have probably crushed the first game. I think the two years I waited really helped build my confidence and just build my idea of what college soccer is. I don’t think I would trade that for the world.”
Barrera said her work ethic and patience has earned Lindberg the respect of her teammates, too.
“They know how good she is, not only what she’s done the first couple games, but how hard she trains and how she’s improved,” Barrera said.
UNC lost Lexi Pulley and Taylor Bray to graduation last year. Both were long-time starters and some of the top offensive players in the Big Sky. Both graduates rank in the program’s top 10 for goals, game-winning goals, points, shot attempts and shots on target.
Barrera knew replacing them would be a challenge, but the offense has stepped up to the task. Between Faris, graduate student Haley O’Nan, senior Britney Donais and several underclassmen, the Bears have impressed so far.
Goalkeepers are typically associated with defense, but Lindberg considers herself a piece of both.
“I think it’s a mutually beneficial thing,” Lindberg said. Her success helps the offense and the scoring productivity helps her.
“The offense scoring goals is a huge weight off my shoulders, and any way I can help them, I will do (it). If they want me to hit long, if they want me to play short, time management stuff, I’ll do anything they want,” Lindberg said. “I’m really just the first line of offense, and their best friend. If they need something different from me, they’ll tell me and I’ll go ahead and do it. I’m really just here for them.”
The Bears hope to extend their hot start when they play Valparaiso at noon on Sunday.
“We hit the ground running and we plan on sprinting to the end, and that’s not going to stop with us being so young,” Lindberg said.
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